Category: Charity

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I did it! I ran a marathon!

She did it! Things&Ink editor Alice Snape ran the London Marathon 2015, for Sarcoma UK. You can read about her training journey in past blog posts and on her Instagram page. This is her diary entry about her marathon experience… 

 

“I am writing this post from the comfort of my bed. I am finding it difficult to walk down stairs as my legs are so stiff… God knows how they ran a marathon yesterday…? This weekend has been a huge mix of emotions, from the nerves on pre-marathon Saturday to the high of crossing that elusive finishing line… I don’t know how I can even begin to put into words the experience of my first ever marathon…

“I always knew Saturday was going to be filled with tension. But I didn’t imagine that I would be moved to tears so many times. My mind was plagued with doubt, have I done enough training? What if I can’t do it? What if I need to wee? How will I feel? I just couldn’t relax. But a text from my boyfriend James’s mum, Glenys, flicked everything into perspective and moved me to tears of sadness, as she spoke of a very special person who I never had the honour of meeting – and who I know I would have been great friends with… James’s sister, Glenys’s daughter: Katherine – who very tragically lost her life to Sarcoma just before James and I met. The months of training and fundraising were to pay tribute to Katherine, and to raise awareness about this rare form of cancer.

“Aside from the emotion and nerves, there’s also the practicalities! I had to sort my running kit out – the vest, the leggings, the really unsexy pink running bum bag to store gels and jelly babies in, the trainers and the Vaseline (you have to lube up to avoid chaffage on long distances). And I needed to make sure I ate lots of nice healthy carbs, also known as carb loading. I also wanted to make sure I had a nice early night – even though I knew I probably wouldn’t get much sleep… I only dozed in and out of sleep all night, thinking about what epic journey I was going to embark on…

 

“Race day morning, it was a weird one… I was so tired when my alarm went off. I had a night of broken sleep and did not feel refreshed at all. For half an hour at 6.30am I did lots of stretches, and also made sure my hamstring was taped up, as unfortunately I picked up an injury during my training. Breakfast was porridge, berries, a coconut water and a coffee. Then I set off on the most nerve-wracking train journey of my life… although I was very relieved to see lots of other marathon runners on the platform, who all looked equally as apprehensive…

“I don’t know how I imagined race day would feel, but I don’t think any training really prepares you for it. Time means nothing. It goes so quick and so slow all at once… and the run feels so very different to a training run. I wanted to try and take in all the sights I saw on the way, but everything is a blur as you’re trying to concentrate on how fast you’re running, all the people around you, the crowd, the runners, the atmosphere… I saw a woman running in stilettos, Jesus Christ, and a rhino (luckily I overtook all these people). There are roadside parties the whole way round… people cheering and drinking. I just kept thinking I am jealous of the people drinking or just smug that I am running a marathon? There are old people, young people, those who are thin and those who are fat, some in costume, some running, some walking… so many walks of life all united on this marathon journey.

“But there were low points too. My parents and friends were going to be at the Sarcoma UK cheering point at mile 12, and I had been spurred on by that thought from around mile 8… I just kept thinking it would be four miles until I saw their faces. But mile 12 went past and I didn’t spot them. I don’t know how I missed them (especially as my parents had a banner with my face on it!), I must have been in a weird marathon daze. That put me on a bit of a downer and then I was worried I wouldn’t see them again. It was such a pity as mile 13 was running across Tower Bridge, and I had been so excited about this point in the marathon… There were other dark moments along the route too, women cowering on the kerbs, head in hand, men being carried on stretchers, bleeding nipples… signs that the marathon really is a true test of human endurance…

 

“But I plodded on… I kept on running focussing on how I might feel at the end, and trying to ignore the pain and the heaviness of my legs, counting down the miles… Until mile 25, and I spotted the second Sarcoma UK cheer point and the faces of my boyfriend, friends and family… I had no idea what a boost that would give me and I managed to pick up my pace as I embarked on the final the mile and a bit… That was a huge high – probably my marathon highlight – and I smiled and waved. I knew now I could run until the end…  Trough The Mall and past Buckingham Palace, then as I crossed the finish line, I lifted my arms in the air and burst into uncontrollable tears, I was literally sobbing. So much so that one of the marshals took me in her arms and gave me a huge embrace. I have never experienced anything like this feeling before.

“I managed to complete my first ever marathon in a time of 4 hours, 30 minutes and 21 seconds – almost exactly the time I had wanted to achieve and never thought I could… but my immediate thought was, oh maybe I could do it next year and maybe I could do it in 4 hours… Then I thought back to myself at exactly this point last year, I was so impressed when one of my friends ran the marathon, I thought it was something that I would never be able to do myself. At the time, I drank a lot, smoked and I was around a stone and a half heavier and I couldn’t run for more than a mile without needing to walk. But running really has made me feel happier in my own skin, and  I have a new found respect for my body and what I can do when I really focus on a goal. It has also made me feel much closer to James and his mum, and really made me think about Katherine, who I so wish I could have met.

“And to top it all off, as I met everyone at the meeting point, my mum told me that I had more than hit my £3,000 fundraising target as I was running. How incredible that people were following my progress and donating as I was actually running…

“It has been an amazing journey over the past few months, one that I am almost sad  is over. Training for the marathon has been such a huge part of my life since November last year. And now I have been advised by a physio to take a month off and let my hamstring heal. I guess once it has, I can start chasing my next running dream. Bring it on. Let a life-long love affair with running really begin…”

You can read more about Sarcoma UK and donate to Alice’s fundraising on her justgiving page.

Day after marathon brekkie. It tasted so good…
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One week to go… London Marathon 2015

Things&Ink editor Alice Snape is currently in training for the London Marathon 2015, she’s running for Sarcoma UK. Read more in her first Marathon diary entry. Here’s part six of her marathon diary…

  

  

ONLY ONE WEEK TO GO! Only one week to go until I run the London Marathon. And if I could imagine doing anything on the weekend before this momentous occasion, it was definitely not being bridesmaid at one of my best friend’s weddings. Going to one of your friends’ wedding means drunkenness, right? And if I have to run a marathon in exactly one week’s time that means I can’t get drunk! How can a wedding be fun if it does not involve champers, and lots of it?

Well actually, I realised you can have lots of fun… having a good time and dancing all evening does not have to be fuelled by alcohol. And if there is enough tipsy people around, you kinda feel a little drunk too. Even if you’re only sipping on a sparkling water and elderflower cordial (it’s a delish alternative to a cocktail). Plus I feel fresh as a daisy (or a runner) today…

 

You will know from previous diary entries, and updates on my personal Instagram account @morewhitequeen, that I have been building up mileage and have done one long run every week since December last year. This long run has gradually increased over my training plan from one hour to just over 21 miles! The first milestone in the plan was 8 miles, and I remember finding this distance particularly difficult in December last year. Running for over an hour was really daunting at that time. It’s weird to me that this distance now feels fairly short, as I managed to run 21.09 miles is 3 hours 40 minutes just over two weeks ago.

It has taken a lot of dedication, sacrifice (I mean I haven’t even been able to get tattooed!) and determination to get to this point and now I am feeling extremely proud of what I have already achieved. Especially as I did my last “long run” on Friday, before wedding madness kicked off, and really loved it…I ran 9 miles in the beautiful countryside and enjoyed every mile of it, I felt fit and healthy and I felt like I could run all day – a feeling I have never really had before. Normally I am counting the seconds until I can stop.

So let’s hope this commitment and all the non-drinking will be worth it! Bring on the London Marathon next week… and let’s hope the last week of tapering means my legs will feel strong for my longest run ever next Sunday. Now someone pass me a massive plate of carbs!

 

Race ready, here’s me in my race vest with my name on it… all ready for next week. I am running the marathon for Sarcoma UK, you can read more and donate on my justgiving justgiving.com/AliceSnapeMarathon

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Tattoo the Taboo

 

Meet Kerry-Anne, tattooer and owner of Cock A Snook tattoo parlour in Newcastle… for years she suffered with mental health problems, but she suffered in silence, she felt unable to tell anyone due to the stigma… read her story and find out how you can help below. She has now organised a charity tattoo day to raise awareness of mental health issues and also has a support group called Tattoo The Taboo on Facebook.

“Even though I have suffered with long-term mental health issues, I didn’t ask for help until I was 31. Because of this I lost friends, let customers, colleagues and peers down, which over time made my illness worse. This also greatly impacted my ability to make tattoos. When I decided to ask for support and treatment, I wondered what I had been so afraid of? Why didn’t I seek help before?

“I was terrified of other people finding out, I felt like it was showing weakness. I had subjected myself to a self-inflicted stigma that had festered to the point that I had no idea how poorly I was. I thought it was completely normal to hate myself, be riddled with doubt and see the world through negative eyes. I believed that I would never be happy and that I was just really shit at life. In hindsight, and after starting treatment, I can look at things more objectively. I’m not worthless, I’m kind, caring and compassionate and I have just as much right as anybody, to live a happy and normal life. I wasn’t shit at life, I was just struggling with a crippling illness.

“I decided I couldn’t bare the weight of keeping secrets and lying about my illness, so I took the step to gradually let people know. Even though I was scared, I was surprised at how supportive everybody was. This encouraged me to tell everybody else without being apologetic, as I realised the stigma surrounding mental health was the biggest factor as to why so many people go untreated and unsupported through their illness.

“I also wanted to do something about tackling the stigma, as the more people I told, the more I realised that it was so much more common than I had expected. Some of my favourite people, who I knew inside and out (or so I thought) then shared their own struggles with me. I decided to share my story and made a support group on Facebook called “TATTOO THE TABOO” to  raise awareness of mental health issues and also to do some fundraising to boot. This group is inclusive and for anybody who has, or is suffering with any mental health problems and also for people who have been affected in some way, whether it be caring for somebody who is suffering, or if these issues have impacted on you in some way.

“The group is a platform for people to share their stories and to do some fundraising. The the stigma needs to stop and understanding needs to start. I already have  over 100 artists keen to take part in some “TATTOO THE TABOO” events. The first being on 4 July 2015. Tattooers will be making flash, etc to tattoo on customers who support the cause, the money raised will go to a mental health charity. Lots of the artists are donating paintings, prints, and merch, or whatever they can, to be exhibited, photographed for a book and then auctioned, with all the proceeds donated to the same charity.”

Kerry-Anne is still looking for other tattooers who wish to participate or donate to the event. For more info email cockasnook@hotmail.com. Hopefully as a tattoo community we can all pull together and make this worthwhile.

Check out the following links for more info: Facebook event, Cock a Snook, and the Instagram accounts: @cockasnook @littlekezz

 

 

 

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My Marathon Diary, part five

Alice Snape marathon
Editor Alice Snape looking pleased with her mileage for February 2015.

 

Things&Ink editor Alice Snape is currently in training for the London Marathon 2015, she’s running for Sarcoma UK. Read more in her first Marathon diary entry. Here’s part five of her marathon diary…

 

Alice running the Watford Half Marathon in February 2015, surprisingly with a smile on her face…

 

“Marathon training is one of the toughest challenges I have ever taken on. I can honestly say that when I signed up to run the London Marathon 2015 for Sarcoma UK (read why here), I didn’t realise just how tough the training would be.”

“Even just fitting in the training around editing Things&Ink, working freelance projects and balancing everyday life is proving to be a challenge in itself. Especially as some training runs take over three hours to complete!

Here’s what a typical week of running looks like for me at the moment:
Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: 40 minutes easy running… easy running is running at a pace you can hold a conversation. Followed by a Hot Yoga Class… I love going to hot yoga classes. But I have realised the toll training is taking on my flexibility. It’s definitely decreasing as I am upping my running mileage. But I do think it’s important to do exercise other than running, and also include some strength training, including planks and thigh strengthening exercises.
Wednesday: 30 minute fartlek run. I dread interval and fartlek runs, as they involve running at speed (I am slow and steady – a plodder – my body was not built for running fast). A farlek run is running fast for random spurts (or at least this is how I like to do it), I might set my sights on a lamp post and run as fast as I can until I reach it, and then slow the pace… then set my sights on something else. This can actually be quite fun. Once I have worked up the motivation to do it.
Thursday: 60 minute steady run, mixed with some threshold pacing.
Friday: Rest day…
Saturday: Short run, with 10 mins at an easy pace to start, then 5x 2 min interval run, and ending on five minutes of easy pace running. Interval running is running with intense effort.
Sunday (now known as Long Run Sunday): Sundays are no longer rest days, they are there for long runs. At the beginning of my 17 week training schedule the long run was just 60 minutes (oh how easy that seems now), which has gradually been built on through the weekly training plan. Up to 18 miles so far, but I aim to run 22 miles before the big day!

 

I spend a lot of time on my own while I am training, so I have a lot of time to think. Here’s the things I’ve learnt about myself while training:

“I am VERY stubborn, if I set my mind to something, I find it really difficult not to do it. Which comes in extremely handy on long run days. ESPECIALLY when it is raining. For example, the first time I ran 16 miles, I did it in the rain – it was raining for the entire three hours. Which meant I ran it really slowly, and I looked like a mental person. BUT I did it. I logged the miles, and I wanted to give up for the entire run, but I didn’t. Because I knew I had to do it.”

“ANYONE can learn to love running. I hated running with a passion when I was at school. I would rather lock myself in a toilet cubicle than do the dreaded cross country run. And sometimes I still hate running (see above). But nothing makes you feel the way running does, I may dislike it intensely sometimes when I am running, but the way you feel after the run is amazing. You feel alive and healthy. Running makes life easier.”

“I talk about running a lot. But that is because it has taken over my life. I am sure anyone else training for the marathon – and their friends – understand this. Training has become such a huge part of my life that it is impossible not to talk about it ALL THE TIME (sorry family and friends). I guess it’s also because I want to validate what I am doing, and because I am completely terrified about marathon day.”

“Toenails are overrated. My feet look disgusting, I have a black toenail that is about to fall off – I am sure they will look even more hideous after that big day.”

Toenails are overrated

 

“Running the marathon for a charity makes training that little bit easier. I know I have to complete the marathon for everyone who has donated to my charity – Sarcoma UK. And I also think about the person I running it for. My boyfriend’s sister Katherine, who I never met but so wish I could have.”

“I know I should be a little kinder to myself. It’s hard not to compare yourself to other runners. I can only dream of running 13 miles at a 7-minute mile pace. I have to channel my energy into being competitive with myself and not other people. I can only beat my own times. So if I shave a couple of seconds off my own runs that’s great. I ran my first ever half marathon in 2 hours 15, and last week I beat myself by running a half marathon distance in 2 hours 7 minutes. It may not seem like much but that is a huge achievement for me, and means the training is really starting to pay off. I also have a time in my mind that I would like to complete the marathon in, but if I don’t get that time, I must remember that’s ok, as running a marathon is a massive achievement in itself…”

I will update this marathon diary again very soon… I am running a 20-mile race in Kingston on Sunday, so I will let you all know how it goes, as this will be my longest training run yet! Wish me luck. To donate to Sarcoma UK, visit my justgiving page.

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Part four in My Marathon Diary – runner video inspiration

Things&Ink editor Alice Snape is currently in training for the London Marathon 2015, she’s running for Sarcoma UK. Read more in her first Marathon diary entry. Here’s part four of her marathon diary – some video inspiration.  

This video went viral last year, but I still love it… I find watching it comforting and it just makes me want to get out there and go for a run – providing me with much-needed motivation during my marathon training.

Directors Matan Rochlitz and Ivo Gormley released the short film – ‘The Runners’ – on 15 November last year. Using a bike with a cart attached for the cameraman, the duo interviewed runners through the seasons, which you can see change beautifully throughout the short film. The runners keep on running through rain and shine. In a piece published in The Guardian, Ivo Gormley wrote that one interviewee had been “humbling” in his honesty about his determination to run a marathon for his father, who suffers from dementia.

Runners are united in this film by one thing – running – and they run for all sorts of different reasons.

 

 

Published on Nov 15, 2013 – A short film by Matan Rochlitz & Ivo Gormley

“Pounding the tarmac through the seasons, a band of runners are brazenly challenged with intimate questions as they pace their routes. Liberated from responsibilities, their guards drop dramatically, releasing funny and brutally frank confessions, and weaving a powerful narrative behind the anonymous masses.”

Twitter: #therunners
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therunnersfilm

I am running the marathon for cancer charity Sarcoma UK, as my boyfriend’s sister Katherine died from Sarcoma over three years ago, just a few short months before James and I met. I am running the marathon for Katherine, who I never met, but so wish I could have. I want to do this for James and his family. If you could donate as little or as much as you can afford, it will make my training seem so much more worthwhile. My JustGiving page is justgiving.com/AliceSnapeMarathon